Op same place



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

O. K. NICHOLS. TYPE WRITING MAGHINB.

No. 532,211. Patented Jan. 8, 1895.

(No Model.) 3 SheetS-Sheet 2.

' O. K. NICHOLS.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

No. 532,211. Patented Jan. 8, 1895.

' 'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES K. NICHOLS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS SIGNOR TO JOHN SPENCER. iOF SAME PLACE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SlPEGIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 532,211, dated J anuary8, 189 5.

Application filed December 26,1893- Serial No. 49 ,704. (No model.)

i To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES K. NICHOLS, a

citizen of the United States, residing atOhicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Type-\Vritiug Machines,

of which the following is a specification.

In a type-writing machine characterized by my invention, theribbon-guide is normally depressed so as to expose the line, and ismovable from such normal position so as tobring the ribbon inco-operative relationship with the impression'devices. The ribbon-guideis operated from the key-levers, and in .order to adapt it for machinesin which variable actions are derived from the depressions of the keysso as to produce variable extents of rotation on the part of atype-wheel. or segment, the ribbon-guide is operated by a cam movementtimed to maintain the same in a determinate position with relation tothe impression devices, as long as may be necessary for making theimpression, and regardless of the extent to which the cam-movement maybe operated. In this way, regardless of the'variable actions resultingfrom the depressions of the keys, the ribbon will at each stroke onimpulse, be brought into a determinate or uniform position relatively tothe printing devices. As a means for raising the ribbonguide from itsnormally depressed position, it is raised by the action of a movablemember of the machine against an incline comprised in said cam-movement,the arrangement being such that when the incline is raised, a rise onthe part of the ribbon-guide will take place.

Various detailsconstituting ma .ters of further improvement arehereinafter oet forth.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion ofa type-writing machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section online :r-a: in. Fig.1. Fig. 3 is a top plan of the ribbon-guide. Fig. 4is a section' taken transversely through the ribbongu-ide and cam platein rear of the papersliield. Fig; 5 shows the paper-shield detech-ed.Fig. 6 shows theupper end of one of the vibratory lovers with theadjustable plate thereon. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the camplate.Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but islmv'ving the cam-inclinedirectly on the ribbon-guide. Fig. 9 is a sectional detail generallysimilar to Fig. 8 but showing another arrangement of cam lifting action.P

In the construction of machine illustrated in said drawings, thepaper-feeding rolls A and-B are understood to besuitably mounted uponthecarriage of atype-writing machine,

' and to be suitably operated when it becomes desirable to-feedupwardlythe paper 1. The ribbon-spools O are arranged to turn aboutvertical axes, and to such end are secured v.upon vertical spindles 2which are understood to be operated by any-ordinary orsuitablestep-by-step movement for the purpose of 6 5 feeding forward the ribbonD, as usual.

The rotary, reciprocating type-segments F,

can be operated as in the Hammond ma chine or any other suitable way,and hence are simply illustratedindotted lines, it being deemed asuflicient explanation of such de-- vices to state that when animpression is to be made, one or the other of these segments is swunginfront'of the ribbonto an extent to bring the required character thereonin front of the ribbon and in (so-operative relationship with avibratory platen or hammer G;

The strip H, illustrated, is a flexible pad strip which is carried bythe carriage andarranged. to back the paper. The platen or 8 I hammer isarranged in rearof the pad-strip, so that when a blow is struck, theribbon, paper and pad-strip will be compacted between the hammer'andtype.

The ribbon-guide I, is adapted for both guiding and raising and lowegingthe portion of the ribbon,which extends between the spools.Thisribbomguide is normally lowered so as to normally expose andindicate the line, and is raised with the action of each 0 of theseveral key-levers K so as to bring the .ribbon in cooperativerelationship with the type. The ribbon-guide normally rests upon thefront feed-roll B, and to such end it is preferably formed with portions3 which are '9 5 curved in conformity with the roll. This ar rangementalso permits the ribbon-guide'to uniformly repose in a defined ortrueposition,

so that when it is raised it will always rise from such position andthus facilitate true we or aceurate action. In order toinsure the dropor depression of the ribbon-guide, it is subject to spring action, andas a simple and efiicient-arrangement, it .isprovided with spring-arms4: which are secured at their ends 5 upon the main-frame of the machine.With such arrangement the ribbon-guide, is attached to the main-frame ofthe machine by spring lever arms which oppose the rise of the guide withan elastic resistance. In or- I der to lengthen theleverage between thefree end of the guide which engages the ribbon, and the points whereatit is held upon the main-frame, its arms should have the greatestresilience near the said points. This can be attained in any suitableway, for example,

bycontracting the arms in width as at points 6 (Fig. '3). Whiletherefore the rise and fall of the ribbon-guide will, strictlyconsidered, bea vibratorymovement, its free end portion will vibrate inthe arc of a circle so large as to render themovement of such portion ofthe guide, proximately in a vertical plane. The ribbon-guide is alsoadjustably held upon the main-frame so that it can be set with alldesired accuracy, and to such end 'its spring arms are secured by screws7' which pass through holes 8 formed in the arms and made,

somewhat larger than the "screw-stems in which way,.while the heads of.the screws'can ciamp the ends of the arms upon' the mainframe or somesuitable fixture thereon, an adjustment of the ribbon-guide can be madeby loosening the screws. As a means for engaging and guiding the ribbon,the said rib-- hon-guide is provided at itsfree end with hook shapedlips 9 (Figs. 3 and 4) which embrace the upper edge portion of theribbon. These guide-lips 9 are separated bya gap 10 (Fig. 3) in theplate of which the ribbonguide is formed, thereby insuring parallelismbetween a suitable'extent of ribbon and also leaving suitable space forthe impression devices. a

The ribbon-guide can of course be made of as many piecesas 'may bedesired, although as a simplified and economical construction, it canbemade from a single sheet-metal plate. The ribbon-guide is alsoprovided with a paper-shield K having an opening K with of thepaper-shield also provides a line indicator,and to such end thepaper-shieldisadapted in heightwith reference to the line. The papershield is also removably held-upon the ribbon guide, so that whenevernecessary, it can be removed therefrom. As a means for thus detachablysecuring the shield upon the ribbon-guide,thelatter has its-free endformed or provided with upturned flanges 11, each having a vertical slot12 (Fig, 3). The papershield, consisting of an oblong plate, has itsends adapted to form hooks for engaging in slots 12 of the flanges 11 onthe ribbon-guide, and as a simple arrangement for locking thepaper-shield in place, its end portions which are extended through andout from said slots are bent to form pintlesockets 13 (Fig. 4) for thepintle-portions of swinging latchesl l. With sucharrangement the pintlesockets can be of greater diameter than the width of the slotsso thatthe paper shield can only herei'noved by raising it from theribbon-guide,

and by providing flanges 11 with catchlips 15under which the latches canbecaug'hhthe paper shield can be locked down and held against removaluntil the latches are freed from their allotted catches. p

The ribbon-guide is raised from its normal position by a cam-movementwhich is timed for raising the ribbon-guide to a proper extent. Thecam-movement embodied inFigs.

1 and2 comprises a vibratory arm or lever L arranged to act against acam incline M which is combined orassociated with the ribbonguide, theplate or member which forms the incline being made'separate from but inhearing contact with the ribbon-guide in said two figures, while in Fig.8theribbon-guide is directly formed or provided with said incline.-

VVithreference first. to Figs. 1, 2, and 6, a plate 16 is provided withthe incline M and is hinged at l'Z upon asupporting bracket 18 whichis'in turn secured upon the main-frame of the machine. 7 i t 1 H Theupper free end of the lever L is normally in juxtaposition. to the upperportion of the cam-incline M, and .the ribbon-guide normally bears uponthe forward free end portion 19 of the cam plate 16. When thereforetheleveris swung. forward it will act against theincline and lift thecam-plate, which latter in rising will lift the ribbon guide. The freeend of the lever preferably acts against the cam-plate throughthe'medium of an anti-friction roll 20 which is carried by thelever andshown in'dottedlinesin Fig. 2. The lever L is employed in theconstructionof machine shown, for actuating one of the typebearingsegments, and hence said lever is understood to be duplicated, so thateach typebearing segment can have its own actuating lever. Under suchsystem, some of the letterkey levers K serve to operateone of the leversL while others serve to operate the remaining one of said levers L asillustrated in Fig. 1, wherein'a few only of the letter-key levers areshown, those at the rightserving to operate lever L at the right, andthose at the left serving to operate lever L at the left.

As a means for thus actuating levers L from the letter-key levers, theleversL are secured upon separate rock-shafts, whereof one rockshaft 21is shown in end view in Fig. 2, and upon said rock-shafts are arms Nhaving latorally extending portions 21 which normally chines of suchclass, the throw or actionsof V are of a circle about an axis throughthe rockribbon-guide to the required height.- Further portion 22, theprinciple of construction begage the under side ofthe ribbon-guide. By

- such arrangement, should the action of either are variable, as is wellunderstood, for the purpose of permitting different actions-to bringdifierent type into position for printing, and hence, where levers L areemployed,

;may be swung. Thus, the initial forward.

- as soon as the lever passes the lowest point of will rest upon thelever, while the latter inmoving in an arc correspondingwiththecurvature of the plate, will simply maintain the.

the leversso as to permit accurate adjust- Y ment, and "tosuch end eachlever carriesa plate 23, (see. Fig. 6) which is adjustable on rolls.-.For exlmmpletheplate 23 may have slots 24'and 25 and be secured to itsallotted from the ribbon-guide, itris preferably prorest upon the letterkey levers K. In mathe levers L or other devices employed for operatinga type-wheel or type-bearing segments the depressions of the type-keyswill cause one or'the other of said levers to have difier; ent degreesof swinger throw. vAs a means therefore for compensating forsuch-varying degrees-of throw on the part of levers L, the camcomprising incline M, further comprises a horizontal or proximatelyhorizontal portion 22 which is desirably curved or formed on the shaftsor spindles whereon the levers L are arranged. By such arrangement,forward swing on the part of either lever L will raise the ribbon guideto a predetermined, uniform height, no matter to what extent the leverswing on the part of the lever causes'the latter to act against the camincline and raise the forward swing on the part of the lever will nothowever further lift the ribbon-guide, since the incline, the portion 22of the cam-plate plate andribbon-guide resting upon the plate, at theheight attained by the action of the lever against the lowest portion ofcamincline My The cam-plate 16can be forked as shown, and in such caseeach prong or arm portion can have an inclineportion Mfand curved inghowever the same as a single incline and curved portion for the twolevers.

The anti-friction rolls are adj ns'table upon the lever and adapted tosupport one of the lever by set screws 26 arranged to pass through such.slots.

- Where the cam-plate 16 is made separate .vided with an upturnedend-portion 27 which is founded as. in Fig. 4. and arranged to enlever Lcause any sidetilt on the part of plate 16, such motion will not becommunicated to the ribbon-guide, since the latter rests upon a roundedhearing which allows the plateto tilt or rock sidewise, independently ofthe ribhon-guide.

The cam-plate 16 normallyrests upon a bar 28 on the main-frame, and islifted therefrom by one or the other of the two levers L as hereinbeforeexplained.

While I prefer forming the cam portions M and 22 on a plate which isseparate from the ribbon-guide and also separately hinged, particularlyfor the purpose of preventing side tilt or wabble on the part of theribbon-guide,

as aforesaid, it'is' understood that-I can form or'directly provide theribbon-guide with such cam as in Fig. 7 wherein the ribbonguide is shownformed with such cam portions M, 22.

In Fig. 9 the arrangement shown is practi- 'cally an inversion of thecam arrangement hereinbefore described, but serves to attain the sameend, and involves a principle common to both. In said Fig. 9, theanti-friction roll 20 on lever L acts against an incline M formedonavibratory arm 28. Said arm 28 is fixed on'a spindle 29 to which inturn'is fixed a cam diskBO, arranged to engage the underside of theribbon guide. When the leverL is in its normal position, the ribbonguiderestsupon the fiat'or straight portion 31 of the cam disk. vWhen thelever is swung forward it will act against inclineM and swing ter willwhile thus turning, lift the ribbon guide until its cylindric orcircular portion bears against the same, and hence further rotation onthe part of the disk will ceaseto lift the ribbon-guide, since thelatter will then beresting upon the circular portion of the disk. p

The arrangement of Fig.-9,'like that in pre .ceding figures, involvesthe cam-incline M in arm 28 upwardly. This tip-swing on the part g ofarm 28 will turn the cam disk, and the latconjunction with theribbon-guide, and both of shchfarrahgements involve a cam-movement'timedfor raising the ribbon-guide to somedeterminate or uniform height andpositively maintaining it in such position during any such action ormotion as may be in excess of that requisite to bring it to such height.

What I claim as my invention is 1; In a type-writin'gmachine, thecombination of a movable ribbon-guide, a cam-device coacting directlywith the ribbon-guide and comprising a cam incline M,and a cam portion22extending from the lower portion of IIO ' an'incline and fa'vibr'atorylever arranged for action againstsaid incline for raising the ribhon-guide, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4.- n ype-wr t ng ine't e m in tion of a movableribbon-gnide and avibratory plate arranged for raising the'ribbonguide and having arounded bearing portion 27 which engages the side ribbon-guide,

whereby to cause the latter to move in a right line irrespective of theposition assumed by the said plate substantially as and for the purposedescribed. I

posing the line comprising a movable ribbonguide, a cam incline Mmovable with the ribhon-guide and having at its lower end a forwardlyextending portion 22, and a vibratory lever having an anti-friction rollarranged to traverse said incline andtorwardly extending portion 22,substantially as described. 6. In a type-writing machine comprising arotary type-wheel or segment, the combination with a vibratory lever foroperating the type-wheel or segment, of a movable ribbonguide and a camincline normally in path of said lever and arranged substantially as setforth ,for raising the ribbon-guide. I

- 7. In a type-writing machine, the combination with a movableribbon-guide, of a vibratory lever for raising the type-ribbon guide andcarrying an anti-friction roll for the pur- 5. In a type-writingmachine, means for expose set forth, and aholder for said roll adjustablyheld upon the lever. i 8. In a type-writingmachine, areciprocating ribbon guide provided with spring arms by which it is heldupon the machine, said guide operating independently of the ribbonspoolssubstantially as set forth.

9. In type-writing machine, areeiprocat- 9, separated from one anotherby a gap 19 and serving to engage the ribbon, and having resilient arms4 adapted to be secured to a rigid portion of the machine substantiallyas set forth.

10. In a type-writing machine a movable ribbon-guide provided with aremovable paper shield K, and means for temporarily described.

guide provided with ribbon engaging portions 9, and slotted flanges l1,and a papershield removably held upon the ribbon-giiide, substantiallyas described.

12. The combination with theribbon-guide having slotted flanges 11, ofthe removable catches 1.4, substantially as set sorth.

Witnesses:

BETA M. WAGNER,

CHAS. G'. PAGE.

locking said shield in place, substantially as 11. In a type-writingmachine, the ribbon- I paper-shield K having pin'tle sockets 13 andCHARLES K. NICHOLS.

ing ribbon guide' provided with hook-portions

